Friday, January 13, 2006

To Telco giants: Make cheap promo call rates permanent

Citing the capacity of cellphone service providers to offer cheap per minute call rates in their promotions, the consumer advocacy group TXTPower seeks to make these rates permanent and standard over all networks.

With the Philippines tagged as one of the fastest growing cellphone markets and with nearly 30 million mobile phone user base, lowering of call rates can make calls as popular as text messaging.

"Making these promo rates permanent can lower telecommunications costs unlike the trend of high and rising cost of other utilities. This can be a big help to the Filipino people this new year", Concepcion explained. "In fact, some telcos have shown that they can charge calls by the second which can optimize the load that cell phone users have. This should be a standard over all networks."

"We call on the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the government to make telcos lower their rates and provide cheap and accessible services. It is high time that they act to put the interests of these consumers over the large rate of profit these telcos are enjoying amid the rising cost of almost all services and goods needed by the consuming public," concluded Concepcion.###